The biological functions of metal ions have traditionally been thought to be limited to structural and catalytic roles within proteins. However, metal ions are also known to play signaling roles at the cellular level. For example, the alkaline earth metal calcium is one metal in which biological signaling roles are particularly well-established. Periodic elevations in the intracellular concentration of free calcium ions, also known as calcium transients or oscillations, are readily detected using fluorescent probes and are known to drive a number of biological processes (Berridge et al. (2003) Nat Rev Mol Cell Biol 4, 517-29.; herein incorporated by reference in its entirety). This is perhaps best illustrated in the egg, where repetitive calcium transients are among the earliest observable events after fertilization (Lawrence et al. (1997) Development 124, 233-41.; herein incorporated by reference in its entirety). Several parameters of these calcium transients, including total number, frequency, and amplitude influence which downstream developmental events are initiated (Ozil et al. (2006) Dev Biol 300, 534-44.; Ducibella et al. (2002) Dev Biol 250, 280-91.; Toth et al. (2006) Reproduction 131, 27-34.; herein incorporated by reference in their entireties). These cellular processes, which include cortical granule (CG) exocytosis and cell cycle progression can be initiated in the absence of sperm by stimulatory agents that induce parthenogenesis (Kline & Kline. (1992) Dev Biol 149, 80-9.; Tahara et al. (1996) Am J Physiol 270, C1354-61.; Liu & Maller. (2005) Curr Biol 15, 1458-68.; Madgwick et al. (2006) J Cell Biol 174, 791-801.; Battaglia & Gaddum-Rosse. (1987) Gamete Res 18, 141-52.; Ozil. (1990) Development 109, 117-27.; Zhang et al. (2005) Hum Reprod 20, 3053-61.; Tingen (2010) Science 330, 453; herein incorporated by reference in their entireties). Interestingly, the normal pattern of calcium oscillations is disrupted in eggs matured under conditions which limit the availability of the transition metal zinc (Kim et al. (2010) Nat Chem Biol 6, 674-81.; herein incorporated by reference in its entirety), suggesting that the physiologies of these metals are somehow connected in the egg.
In a departure from its well-established role as an enzymatic cofactor or structure stabilizing agent, fluctuations in the total concentration of intracellular zinc have recently been shown to contribute to the proper cell cycle regulation in maturing oocytes. Intracellular zinc levels increase by more than fifty percent and over 1010 ions per cell are accrued during the final stage of oocyte maturation, also known as meiotic maturation (Kim et al. (2010) Zinc availability regulates exit from meiosis in maturing mammalian oocytes, Nat Chem Biol 6, 674-81.; herein incorporated by reference in its entirety). This significant cellular metal accumulation event occurs over a remarkably short time interval and is a physiological imperative, as insufficient accumulation of zinc leads to a premature meiotic arrest at telophase I instead of metaphase II (Kim et al. (2010) Nat Chem Biol 6, 674-81.). This zinc-dependent meiotic checkpoint arises, in part, because zinc-insufficient eggs fail to reestablish maturation promoting factor (MPF) activity (Bernhardt et al. (2010) Biol Reprod, published ahead of print Nov. 10, 2010.; herein incorporated by reference in its entirety), which is necessary for eggs to set up and maintain meiotic arrest at metaphase II.